CHENNAI: A major fire broke out at a hardware store in Adambakkam on Sunday. The fire also spread to a small hospital right next to the hardware shop and two small godowns. There were no casualties reported.
According to a Guindy fire station officer, the fire started around 2:30 pm when the employees had closed the shop and gone out for lunch. When they returned, they noticed smoke and on opening the shutter noticed the fire. They immediately informed the fire and rescue services and seven fire tenders were sent to the location.
The owner’s family lives above the shop and the house was empty as they are out of town. As fire spread to the hospital, two patients were shifted to the ICU. The fire and rescue service personnel split into two teams to control the fire, one each at the hardware shop and the hospital. They were able to bring the fire under control after battling for over an hour. As the owner of the shop was not available, the actual damages could not be estimated, said sources.